Mamata Banerjee says PM Modi will address nation with "another web of falsehood"

Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], April 18 : West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Saturday said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address the nation with "another web of falsehood".

This comes ahead of PM Modi's address to the nation after the 131st Constitution Amendment Bill to implement women's reservation failed to pass in Lok Sabha as the INDIA bloc refused to vote in favour of the delimitation process.

Addressing a rally, Mamata Banerjee said, "Today, Prime Minister Modi will once again address the nation with yet another web of falsehoods. Under the BJP regime, those who once incited riots have now risen to become the leaders of the country".

Mamata Banerjee alleged the bill was introduced to "divide" the country, with the BJP aiming to gain political advantage by increasing the Lok Sabha seats to 850 through the delimitation process.

"Modi's downfall started yesterday in Delhi. It is not the Women's Bill, I have been fighting for the Women's Bill since 1998. Modi has told lies through the media. The bill was introduced to divide the country. To divide Bengal and other non-BJP states. He knew that he couldn't win in 543 constituencies; that's why he played the game to make 850 constituencies. That's why, despite the election campaign, I sent all my 21 MPs. I wouldn't let the country be divided and not let Bengal get divided," she said.

Meanwhile, TMC leader Bratya Basu criticised PM Modi, ahead of the latter's address to the nation, accusing him of maintaining a monologue instead of dialogue, taking shots at the lack of PM's press conferences under his government.

"He maintains a monologue. There is no dialogue. He has not held a single press conference for the past 15 years... People are not interested in what he thinks or wants to tell the nation. It is now open to all, so it is basically useless," Basu said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to address the nation at 8:30 pm today. He is likely to speak about the collapse of the 131st Constitution Amendment Bill, targeting opposition over their decision.

The Constitution Amendment Bill for the implementation of Women's Reservation from the 2029 general elections was defeated in the Lok Sabha earlier, with the opposition parties voting against it.

In the division that took place following the debate on the three bills, 298 members supported the bill while 230 voted against it.

Despite the bill's defeat, the 2023 Women's Reservation Act remains on the books, though its implementation continues to be tied to the future census.

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